Vehicle-wheel.



D. J. JENNINGS & H. WHITE VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.12,1912.

5 559 Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

The: r A

DAVID 5. JENNINGS AND WHITE. 05 CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. t5). til'l Application F?! April 12, 1812. Serial E0. 690.359.

,- T I i 10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we; DAVID J; JENNINGS end HENRY WHITE, both citizens ot the United Statesnresidiug Cleve-lend, in' the county of Cuyehoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Vehicle-\Vheels; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the seine.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels and more especially to such as are known as spring wheels designed for automobiles and place of pneuculiar details of construction comprising parts and combination of parts and also in the structure a. whole {ill of which will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure I, is a segmental *iew in side elevation showing the manner of embedding the ends of the springs, parts of this view being in section for better illustration. Fig. II, a vertical sectional view taken though one half of the diameter ofthe wheel disclosing a sectional iew of the hub connection and the rim conne tion and also the rubber tire; Fig. Ill, is a sectional view in enlarged form showing the method of fastening the spring to the rim of the wheelf Fig. IV is an cnhirged view in section showing the manner of mounting and securing the spring to the hub of the wheel.

As hereinebove iiientimied this wheel is designed as a substitute for wheels having pneumatic or cushioned tires and is adopted in its construction to have the equivalent of resiliency of such wheels/while at the same.

time having the same I tractive etl'ccts, greater strength and less costlyupltecp.

Herctofore in wheels of this type one objectionable feature hasnbeen that while in turning or skidding the laterul strain on the sprii'ig spokes hastcnded to both loosen the connections between the spokes and the hub and rim or shear their fastenings or break the spring at the point of fastening, this being generally, heretofore the weakest part ofthe spring and asit is the part designed to sustain the greatest strain it i1nportantthat the nicthod'of fastening at the above'points and also the. construction of the spring at these points be such {is-to eliminate \l'HlkDQSS and shearing action. lhis is accomplished in this invention by the following construction. i

l, represents the wheel rim which is preferably made of metal convex in cross sect on on its outer periphery and conceve on ts inner periphery the outer periphery bcmg preferably provided with a rubber tire 2, fitting over the outer periphery o the rim and inclosing it illustrated.

3, represents a series of con'ipound or shaped spokes of spring metal the same being more or less uniform in width and thick; ness throughout excepting at their outer ends t and inner ends'5 at which ends they are channeled or provided with sidefianges being curved in cross section to seat themselves respectively in the rim and pockets 0 provided around the outer periphery of the hub portion 7.

In order to secure the outer ends of the springs within the inner concaved periphery of the rim the curvature of the spokes at this end is so formed as to seat snugly or conform to the inner surface of the rim laying along the same for a distance sutiicicnt to receive the fastening rivets or bolts 4'.'

which pass first through blocks 8, conform mg to the inner curvature at this end of the spoke thus aiding to hold this end snugly in place and strengthen the end of the spoke at this part. thus the entire fastening and construction entirely eliu'linatcs any shearing uctiou through the lateral strain at this part of the wheel. bringing this strain to bear upon the reinforced ends of the spring spokes and the curved sides of the conczived portion of the rim taking the lateral strain entirely from the bolts or rivets 4. The hub ends of the spokes are also reinforced as at 5 by turning the metal forming it convex on the outer surfacc and concave on the inner surface and forming the extreme ends curved or rounding. The ends 5 of the spokes are received in pockets 6, formed in the outer periphery of the hub 7 which pockets are so formed as to receive these ends snugly in which pockets they are fastened by means of bolts and nuts 9 which of the spring thence through the end of the spring and intothe hub. It will thus be tenings, both to'the rim and to the hub are reinforced and strengthened against lateral strains and Weaknesses where the strain is greatest andwhere generally heretofore the parts were eakest. It will also beno-ticed that the reinforcement serves to bring the spring action of the spokes between the points below the extreme inner periphery of the rim and above the extreme outer periphery of the hub thus making the fastened ends of the springs solid and not apt to be loosened' or 'worn'.

Other advantageous features are apparent without further description.

What We claim is:

1. In awheel of the type set forth comprising S shaped spring spokes having their ends reinforced by bending the metal upon itself to 'form concave channels curved in cross section, seats formed respectively in the 'rim and hub to conform to the shape of the respective ends of the spring spokes, blocks adapted .to be received in the concaved portion of the ends of the spokes and fastening devices passing through said blocks for retaining the ends of the spokes in their respective positions substantially as set forth.

2. In a wheel of the type set forth co1nprising S shaped spring spokes, said spokes having their ends reinforced by bending the metal upon itself to form concave channels curved in cross section, seat-s formed in the hub and rim for the reception of the respective ends of the spokes, blocks shaped to conform to the concaved portion of the said spokes and adapted to be held in position in said concaved portions of the spokes by suitable fastenings substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and. State of Ohio this 28th day of March 1912.

DAVID J. JENNINGS. HENRY WHITE.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. DONNELLY, ALBERT B. DONNELLY. 

